RTL2GDS Principal AE

Cadence Design Systems • San Jose, CA

4d • $127,400 - $236,600

About The Position

The Principal Application Engineer will serve as a senior technical leader on Cadence’s North America Field Applications Team. The role drives strategic customer engagements and influences next-generation EDA and Agentic-AI solutions. It requires exceptional technical depth, proven leadership, and the ability to align cross-functional teams to deliver advanced design solutions for leading semiconductor companies.

Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in IC design implementation, with demonstrated success managing large-scale technical programs.
• BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• Deep expertise in digital design fundamentals, advanced-node implementation (3nm and below), and EDA tool ecosystems.
• Proven track record of leading technical teams and driving customer success at executive levels.
• Strong proficiency in Tcl, Python, or Perl scripting and flow customization for design closure.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and leadership skills, with the ability to influence internal and external stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience with Cadence tools (Genus, Innovus, Conformal, Cerebrus) and competitive solutions.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute technical engagement strategies for top semiconductor design teams, aligning them with corporate objectives and customer success metrics.
• Act as a trusted advisor to executive-level stakeholders and guide adoption of Cadence digital implementation, signoff technologies, and AgenticAI features across advanced nodes (3nm and below).
• Partner with R&D and Product Engineering to influence tool enhancements based on customer requirements.
• Drive complex benchmarks, flow optimizations, and deployment of methodologies for front-end technologies, including synthesis, RTL power estimation, formal verification, P&R, STA, IR Drop, and power/timing closure.
• Represent Cadence at industry forums, author technical papers, and deliver keynote presentations.
• Establish best practices for engagement models, resource planning, and technical escalations to support timely, successful project execution.

Benefits

• Paid vacation
• Paid holidays
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• Employee stock purchase plan
• Medical, dental, and vision plan options
• Potential eligibility for incentive compensation, including bonus and equity

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal